A research team led by the Department of Biology at Éniversität Hamburg has discovered, for the first time, the predatory amphipod Rhachotropis abyssalis in 3 different oceans up to 20,000 kilometers apart. In each case, the animals live at depths of more than 3 kilometers. The findings were published in the journal Scientific Reports.
The abyssal zone, the deep seafloor below 3,000 meters, is the largest and least explored habitat on Earth. It is particularly challenging for researchers to collect invertebrates from these depths.
Amphipoda are among the key players at the bottom of the deep sea, where they are found in large numbers and a variety of species. Females engage in brood care and carry their eggs and young in a brood pouch. ...
